Glenda Carhart, Artistic Director
At age 15, Glenda Carhart trained on a scholarship at the School of the Harkness Ballet in New York City and then with the National Ballet of Canada. She joined the National Ballet of Canada at 17, performing her first professional roles in Rudolf Nureyev’s Sleeping Beauty at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Glenda was in full-length productions of Swan Lake, Coppelia, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker, and was featured in Serenade and Offenback in the Underworld. She has worked with top professionals Mikhail Baryshnikov, Peter Martins, Gernando Bujones, Erik Bruhn, Rudolf Nureyev, Celia Franca and Rudi Van Dantzig.
1977, Glenda returned to Riverside and was a guest artist for several companies and California schools. As former owner of Riverside Ballet Arts, Glenda directed the faculty and staff as well as oversaw the training of approximately 250 students. She continues her training as an instructor through workshops with the National Ballet of Canada and is a certified trainer utilizing Pilates based techniques and apparatus. She now uses that information for her Movement for Life Classes for Parkinsons, MS and other patients with neuropathy and other similar conditions. In 2019 Glenda turned over RBA to the Riverside Ballet Arts LLC to further her plans for Ballet Resource Active Volunteer Association, BRAVA.
From 1997-2003, Glenda taught ballet, Pointe and Pedagogy at the University of California, Irvine. In 1993 Glenda was honored with A Woman’s Place is Every Place award by the University of Redlands. The Riverside Arts Council honored her in 1995 with the Arts Angel Award. In 2004 Glenda was honored at a 20th Anniversary Celebration with a proclamation by Mayor Ron Loveridge and a letter of appreciation from Congressman Ken Calvert.
In 2009, Glenda was one of twenty honored teachers for the School of American Ballets’ 75th Anniversary Celebration.
Glenda was the Artistic Director for the California Riverside Ballet from 1984-May 2010. On June 30th, 2010 Glenda established BRAVA to further her dream of bringing quality ballet to Southern California.
David Allan, Choreographer
David Allan was Soloist Dancer and Choreographer with The National Ballet of Canada from 1974-1988. His award-winning choreography is in the repertoires of such prestigious ballet companies as; New York city Ballet, The Hong Kong Ballet (China), Seoul Ballet of Korea, Joffrey Ballet, Pitssburgh Ballet Theatre, Hartford Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Nashville Ballet, National Dance Theatre of Bermuda, as well as in companies in Japan, France and Italy.
David Allan was Soloist Dancer and Choreographer with The National Ballet of Canada from 1974-1988. His award-winning choreography is in the repertoires of such prestigious ballet companies as; New York city Ballet, The Hong Kong Ballet (China), Seoul Ballet of Korea, Joffrey Ballet, Pitssburgh Ballet Theatre, Hartford Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Nashville Ballet, National Dance Theatre of Bermuda, as well as in companies in Japan, France and Italy.
During Mr. Allan’s distinguished career he has taught, coached and/or choreographed for such world renowned artists as: Rudolf Nureyev, Veronica Tennant, Nikolaj Hubbe, Evelyn Cisneros, Stephen Legate, Peter Boal, Anthony Randazzo, Igor Zelensky, Darci Kistler and Ethan Stiefel. He presently holds the title of Professor Emeritus at University of California, Irvine.
Jay Hathaway, Technical Director
Jay Hathaway is a Riverside native that has been in the technical arts since attending Ramona high school. He has worked with community groups from Riverside Children’s Theater, Riverside Community Players, as well as BRAVA productions of David Allen’s Nutcracker.
Jay has traveled the globe with musical acts, worked on numerous broadcast, eSports and fan experience events in North America,
Jay Hathaway is a Riverside native that has been in the technical arts since attending Ramona high school. He has worked with community groups from Riverside Children’s Theater, Riverside Community Players, as well as BRAVA productions of David Allen’s Nutcracker.
Jay has traveled the globe with musical acts, worked on numerous broadcast, eSports and fan experience events in North America, Europe and Asia.
Jay is taking over the lighting design and Technical director role from Don Guy, a dear Friend and Colleague who passed away last year. Jay and Don had worked together many times previously on this production in Riverside.
Kathleen Riker, Associate Director
Kathleen began her dance training in 1979 at Riverside Ballet Arts. She has also studied at the Banff Centre School of fine Arts in Alberta, Canada, Ballet West, And Stanley Holden’s Dance Center in Los Angeles. She appeared as a guest artist at UCR’s faculty dance concert in Pas De Quarre, and was a member of the Modern Dance Ensemble headed by the late Frank Aguirre.
Under the direction of Glenda Carhart and
Kathleen began her dance training in 1979 at Riverside Ballet Arts. She has also studied at the Banff Centre School of fine Arts in Alberta, Canada, Ballet West, And Stanley Holden’s Dance Center in Los Angeles. She appeared as a guest artist at UCR’s faculty dance concert in Pas De Quarre, and was a member of the Modern Dance Ensemble headed by the late Frank Aguirre.
Under the direction of Glenda Carhart and David Allan, Kathleen performed R. Clinton Rothwell’s premier of Concerto in G Minor, the Silver Fairy and Crystal Fairy variations from Sleeping Beauty, Tarantella, Chopin, Classical Symphony, Raymonda, as well as Spanish Dancer, Arabian Dancer, Snow Fairy, and the Dew Drop Fairy in The Nutcracker. She has also performed works by David Allan, ETC! and Pastel. She has been a faculty member at Riverside Ballet Arts since 1987, and acted as the California Riverside Ballet Administrator from 1996-2001.
BRAVA Leadership
Michel Gervais
Choreographer
Michel Gervais (teacher, choreographer) a native of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, started dancing at the age of 11. He studied with the Ida Sauvé Dance Studios, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Theatre Ballet of Canada, National Dance Theatre of Bermuda, Ontario Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Ballet Pacifica and California Riverside Ballet.
Michel Gervais (teacher, choreographer) a native of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, started dancing at the age of 11. He studied with the Ida Sauvé Dance Studios, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Theatre Ballet of Canada, National Dance Theatre of Bermuda, Ontario Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Ballet Pacifica and California Riverside Ballet. His teaching credentials include: American Ballet Theatre, London Rambert Dance Co., Hong Kong Ballet, Canadian Dance Teachers Association, Ballet Pacifica, University of California’s Irvine and Riverside campuses, York University, and the National Dance Theatre of Bermuda. His choreography has been performed by: University of California, Irvine, American Ballet Theater (summer intensive), Festival Ballet Theatre, California Riverside Ballet and Excalibur.
Illah Kline
Costume Designer
Illah is the magic and creative force behind many of the most beautiful tutu and costumes of RBA’s Nutcracker. Illah is the Head of Wardrobe, working with other talented seamstress, putting together each years stunning Nutcracker wardrobe and costumes.
Eric Rodriguez
Technical Advisor
Eric is formerly the full-time Technical Director for Chapman University’s College of Performing Arts and a Riverside native. With a B.A. in Technical Design and Production from Cal State San Bernardino, he has since been involved with various college apprenticeship programs as a trainer and staff member.
Eric is formerly the full-time Technical Director for Chapman University’s College of Performing Arts and a Riverside native. With a B.A. in Technical Design and Production from Cal State San Bernardino, he has since been involved with various college apprenticeship programs as a trainer and staff member. Before arriving at Chapman, Eric served as Production Manager/Designer for the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company at California Lutheran University, Assistant TD/Designer at Mt. San Jacinto College, State Manager/Adjunct Professor at the University of Redlands, and Assistant Stage Supervisor/ASM for the prestigious Santa Fe Opera. Other notable credits include technical work for Starway Productions, Ballet Pacifica, Golden State Ballet, MTV (Remote Productions), Wheel of Fortune Wheel-Mobile Crew, Scenes Too, Performance Riverside, Theatrical Arts International, Stage One Players, and x103.9 fm.
In Memoriam:
Don Guy
Lighting Director
Don Guy was a prolific lighting designer for dance theater, industrials, themed entertainment and architecture. He was the lighting designer for David Allan’s Nutcracker for over fourteen years. A few of his dance design credits include: David Allan’s Cinderella; Holberg Suites; ETC!; Fiesta; Pastel and Concerto Grosso. He worked as lighting designer for St. Louis Ballet’s Giselle; Swan Lake; Serenade; More Morra; Brahms Quintet and the Nutcracker as well as over 350 dance pieces for numerous choreographers and dance companies across the country.